(BONN, Germany, June 26) -- The Paralympic programme for the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games was approved by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Governing Board (GB) at a meeting which took place from 23 to 24 June in Lausanne, Switzerland. The GB confirmed that athletes will compete in five sports, namely Alpine Skiing, Biathlon, Cross Country, Ice Sledge Hockey and Wheelchair Curling at the next Winter Paralympics.

   For Alpine Skiing, the GB accepted the possible addition of medal events in Super Combined - a two part event that includes a Super-G race and Slalom on one day, for which the times of each race are compiled to determine a final result ranking - pending a comprehensive feasibility analysis, eg, the existence of a viable competition schedule, by the IPC in collaboration with the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Wheelchair Curling will in 2010 be a 10-team tournament, adding two more teams compared to the Torino 2006 Winter Paralympics.

   Said IPC President Sir Philip Craven: "There is potential for more sports, disciplines and events as well as athletes to compete at Winter Paralympics and we are confident that for the Games in Vancouver, we will be able to augment the number of athletes taking part. We hope that the National Paralympic Committees and sports will work together with us to make sure that viable new sports, disciplines and events can be added to future Paralympic Games programmes."

   The GB also approved the final Paralympic Brand Report, were informed on Paralympic Games Progress, received a debrief of the Torino 2006 Winter Paralympics, received an update on the Budget 2006-2007 as well as updates on the work of various IPC Standing Committees and Councils. The GB also approved the provisional IPC Membership of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), pending ratification of the IPC General Assembly, subsequent to the transfer of governance of Equestrian for athletes with a disability from the IPC to FEI.

   The GB was furthermore presented with a report on the progress made with regard to the development of mutually acceptable eligibility and verification systems for athletes with an intellectual disability. The report outlined research conducted on the impact of intellectual disability on sport performance, initiatives to develop sport specific criteria and details on a general eligibility system and protest procedures.

   At the 2004 IPC Extraordinary General Assembly in Cairo, Egypt, a motion was approved agreeing that the IPC would actively direct the process by which mutually acceptable eligibility and verification systems are developed. In November 2005, a report was provided to the IPC General Assembly on the status, including provisional findings, of the research. Based on this status report, the General Assembly requested that the GB make a decision on the inclusion of athletes with an intellectual disability at future IPC sanctioned competitions, including the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, no later than June 2006 on presentation of the additional research findings and the advice of the involved sports.

   The GB accepted the report detailing the research findings and the conclusion that no sports specific eligibility system has been developed for athletes with an intellectual disability to date. Furthermore, the GB felt that the general eligibility system, as developed by the International Sports Federation for Persons with an Intellectual Disability (INAS-FID) and referred to in the report, does not achieve the standard expected for IPC competitions and is not sufficiently robust to ensure fair competition for athletes with an intellectual disability. This opinion, based on the subjectivity of the Sport Information and Consequences Questionnaire (SIC-Q) and the absence of real on-site and tested protest procedures, was supported by the feedback from sports specialists of Athletics, Swimming and Table Tennis. Consequently, the GB decided that athletes with an intellectual disability cannot take part in IPC sanctioned events, including the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games.

   There is, however, evidence to suggest that sport specific eligibility systems may be developed in the future and, as a result, the status of the participation of athletes with an intellectual disability at future IPC competitions will be re-evaluated following the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, allowing for more time for further work to be carried out in this area.

   "We are pleased with the promising indications shown by the research on sport specific criteria and we are therefore committed to continue our support of this research in collaboration with INAS - FID and the sports specialists," commented Sir Philip. He continued: "This is the first time that such scientific research has been undertaken and I congratulate the General Group responsible, for its initial work, which could form the base of a sport specific eligibility system for athletes with an intellectual disability after the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games."

(Credit: IPC. Click here for further information.)